Ian Poulter to the fore at Hilton Head

Ian Poulter claimed a share of the lead after shooting a seven-under round of 64 at the PGA’s RBC Heritage event.
Poulter had an early tee time at Hilton Head and took a liking to conditions, going blemish-free and finishing with a spring in his step by claiming four birdies after the turn.
The Englishman finished tied for 29th at last week’s Charles Schwab Challenge, the tour’s first tournament back after the coronavirus shutdown, and will start round two level with American Mark Hubbard.
Solid bogey free 7 under in Round 1 of the @RBC_Heritage pic.twitter.com/B5GRPlA4Ux
— Ian Poulter (@IanJamesPoulter) June 18, 2020
The 44-year-old, who won the last of his three PGA titles in 2018, had shared his discomforting Covid-19 Test on Twitter on Wednesday, but will be glad he put himself through the process.
“Any time you shoot seven under par around this golf course, it’s obviously a pretty solid day,” he said.
“It’s very important being bogey-free. It’s a fiddly, testing, tricky golf course.”
Views from home. #RBCHeritage pic.twitter.com/wXeCZKmOwV
— RBC Heritage (@RBC_Heritage) June 18, 2020
He went on to reveal the surprisingly light load he taken on in terms of course practice during the pandemic shutdown, adding: “I played three or four rounds of golf in that spell of three months off, and it was apparent – as soon as I came back to hitting balls – I felt like I was swinging pretty good.
“I’m not one that plays round after round after round after round to feel that I need to be ready to play golf. I was super active, I was busy on social media, I was doing lots of different things around the house.”
World number one Rory McIlroy had a slow start, closing one over on 72. The Northern Irishman, who has questioned the wisdom of European players who have declined to travel, hit three bogeys along the way.

“I wasn’t particularly comfortable out there,” he admitted.
“I played here once before in ’09, and I just remember not being that comfortable around here then. It’s still sort of the same. I’m just not comfortable and sort of trying to pick lines and really commit to shots. I just wasn’t as committed as I need to be around here.”
There is a chasing pack of seven sitting one-shot back from Poulter and Hubbard, with Sheffield’s Matthew Fitzpatrick alongside Jordan Spieth on five under.
Spieth had a dicey start, including a triple-bogey at 12, but ended with a surge of momentum as he birdied seven times on the front nine.
Latest
-
News
Steve Stricker makes Padraig Harrington sweat as Irishman wins US Senior Open
The pair were rival captains in last year’s Ryder Cup in Wisconsin.
-
News
Golfers warned of further sanctions if they continue to play in LIV breakaway
The DP World Tour has issued fines of £100,000 and tournament bans to its members who played in the inaugural LIV Golf event earlier this month
-
European Tour
DP World Tour hits members who played inaugural LIV series with £100,000 fines
They have also been banned from several forthcoming tournaments including the Scottish Open.
-
News
Rory McIlroy not impressed as Brooks Koepka becomes latest big name to join LIV
The world number two labelled the players who have joined the new series as “duplicitous” for the way they have handled their breakaway.
-
The Open
R&A confirms LIV Golf Series players will be allowed to compete at Open
The 150th Open Championship will get underway at St Andrews in three weeks’ time.
-
US Open
Matt Fitzpatrick turns to other major winners for advice on dealing with fame
Fitzpatrick won the US Open on Sunday.
-
News
Brooks Koepka set to join Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series
Koepka’s brother Chase played in the opening event at Centurion Club earlier this month.
-
US Open
Gary Player urges Matt Fitzpatrick to avoid ‘poison’ of modern-day coaching
Player tells US Open champion Fitzpatrick to learn from mistakes of recent major winners, saying: “The teaching today is the worst it has ever been.”
-
US Open
Matt Fitzpatrick’s caddie Billy Foster ready for ‘long party’ after US Open win
Foster won his first major after a 40-year career which includes spells working for the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke.
-
US Open
Matt Fitzpatrick backed to become a dominant force after winning first major
The Englishman claimed his first major title at Brookline.